I just finished reading a very long post on facebook (x) about supporting the Canadian economy by consciously buying products made in Canada. The author of this post is afraid of North American brands outsourcing their production to (often) developing countries. She leaves us with a call to action: “Stop buying from overseas countries!”
The author of this post has a very noble idea to stop globalization.
A non-development student might not be as tired of globalization as a development student definitely is. No other topic fills our hearts with such dread as the interaction and integration of companies and increase of international trade thanks to the ease of communication provided to us by modern technology. It’s a big deal, but my mind is saturated with globalization.
This post isn’t about globalization (surprised?).
I 100% support the author of that facebook post’s ideas. I try my hardest to buy local. I prefer to eat only in-season foods (as long as it’s nutritionally adequate), and I will always choose the “made in Canada” or “Grown in Ontario” version of a product when I’m able. I say “when I’m able” because not only are domestic goods harder to find, they’re often not as cheap as the imported ones, and I’m a poor student with bad spending habits. The money isn’t there for me. Some people get to make those conscious decisions all the time, and I have a lot of respect for that.
This facebook call to action has some flaws, though. Here’s one: “By the way, all pickles with the President’s Choice label and the No Name yellow label [Superstore] are made in India .. Think about it, Water from the Ganges is used… Yes THAT Ganges , the one that the People use as a toilet.”
I Googled this fact, the only source is this post itself. I can pretty much guarantee that your PC pickles aren’t made with toilet water – food safety standards do exist. I’m not a marketing or social media expert, but I have been in a marketing class for about a month now so I’m pretty close. A primary rule in getting people to relate to your cause is to do your research so your call to action is well-supported.
Support local. Buy only Canadian products. Or don’t – whatever you want. But always know what you’re talking about. Not knowing doesn’t help your cause at all. Ignorance is not bliss.
Linneah Tovstiga 
Happy to read your article, Linneah! As I was just sent a copy through email of that same post today, I too felt compelled to do some research on that in an attempt to locate the source of this misinformation, but as yet I can’t seem to find anything other than just reposts of the same rhetoric. Your blog here was the only thing I could find. Thank you for writing it, by the way! So I’m going to write to the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada as well as to companies like Loblaws (who make those pickles that were mentioned) to see what they say about these claims. But I guess if they can’t find the author, they can’t bring a lawsuit.
While I too am on that “Buy Canadian” band wagon, as much as is feasible, a lot of what I read sent up red flags – especially that part that says that companies (such as President’s Choice and No Name) wash their food products in the unsanitary waters of the Ganges River before packaging for export! (As if people would believe that! But I imagine that, sadly, many do/will.)
I am completely in agreement with what you said as you worded it eloquently, “A primary rule in getting people to relate to your cause is to do your research so your call to action is well-supported.”
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Hi Coleyna, just saw this message. Thanks for reading and for doing research on it! Still something I hear about and it’s so frustrating! Happy to do my part in at least making people question things before blindly believing them.
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